Coffee and Ćejf: Learning from Muslims in Bosnia

Last week it was clear that there is still much fear and distrust when it comes to Muslims in America. As a patriot and humanity, this makes me sad. And as a traveler, this is confusing me-in a few visits to the Muslim world, I didn't have anything but a positive experience.

I am not naive. I realize that some Muslims doing horrible things. But the overall conviction rate based on the actions of a fanatical faction small insulting at best, and dangerous at worst. When you travel, you realize that the vision of Islam presented by Donald Trump and Steve Bannon is very selective [Info Wisata Jogja]. Meet face-to-face with Muslims comes with plenty of opportunity to connect with the rhythm of a different humanity, and to learn.

Most Muslim countries spent much of the time was Bosnia. On my last visit to Sarajevo, my local friend Amir invited me for coffee. Not just Bosnian coffee. [tempat wisata di jogja]

"Here, in Bosnia, not just drinks coffee," Amir explained. "It's almost like a way of life." Bosnian coffee is not filtered and poten (you might think of as "Turkey coffee") is the sign of a complex social ritual that captures the approach deliberately, stop and smell-tulip. for life.

We sat on rickety tables in the courtyard a comfortable Caravan and rocky. When the coffee arrived, I am ready membantingnya. But Amir reminded me that punishing Bosnian coffee in a hurry with a mouthful of sand.

He patiently persuaded me through this procedure, and his philosophy, about Bosnian coffee. "There is no right or wrong way to drink coffee. People spend time perfecting his personal ritual. But the one thing everyone agreed on was not only about caffeinated coffee. It's about relaxing. It's about being with the people you love. Talk to your friend. Listen to what they say. Learn about their lives. And then swearing. If your coffee is not strong enough, turn slowly to Your cups than agitating the base. If it is too strong, just wait. Let. This gives you more time to talk. "

Reach the bottom of my cup, I said that the reason does not leave residues at all. "When it's done properly," said Amir, "you'll never feel the reason. If you find the layers of ' mud ' at the bottom of Your Cup, it means someone-either you or the person who made the coffee – it is too hasty. "(So I guess technically, there is a wrong way to drink coffee.)

Look around the page, Amir said, "this is a great example of the Peacock. The Peacock is one of the words that You could not translate directly into the language of the United Kingdom. This is more than a concept. That means, basically, the pleasure. More specifically, this is a relaxed atmosphere among friends. That's when You're sucking a cup of coffee with no particular place to go-enjoy the simple act to pass the time. "

Amir explained that the Bosnian language is full of words that cannot be translated. Another example: the King. "The King means a sense of having one with a community," says Amir. "But it also means frowns on anyone who think of it as a big shot. Everyone knew their place, and appreciate it. "In America, the King is what prevents you from becoming penyumbat that appears in the form of stocks and a tuxedo for Your high school reunion.

But my favorite words of Bosnia is ćejf (pronounced "chayf").

Ćejf is the habit of annoying or ritual that you have. This is a unique little idiosyncrasies that make people terkasihmu gone mad. However, it gives you pleasure. No, not just a pleasure: contentment. In the traditional culture of Bosnia, ćejf is a privileged way so someone twist the beaded khawatirnya, how to pack and suck service-pipe, or a special procedure that she had to prepare and drink a cup of coffee.

In American culture, we also have ćejf. We just don't have the words for it. Maybe you have a strict order of Starbucks who confuse your friends, but it's true. ("Bell split vanil split-shot skinny dry, extra hot.") Or every weekend, you feel the need to wash and detailing your car, or cut Your grass, or trim Your hedges ... granted. Or maybe that's how you keep your desk organized, in accordance with special logic that only you appreciate fully. Friends of my own way I might play around with my fantasy football lineup. (Should I start Jordan Howard or Latavius Murray this week?) Or the way I chew gum when I stress: a sense of Exrta Polar Ice, always two sticks ... never just one.

In our culture, people call this behavior "cranky," or "O.C.D." ... or, simply, "disturbing." We are expected to check out our ćejf at the door. But in Bosnia, they simply shook his head and said, "what are you going to do? It was his ćejf. "You don't have to like the person's actions. But-as long as it doesn't hurt anyone-you have to accept it. Because everyone has it. What ćejf you.

While other Muslims who survived with me came not in Bosnia, but in Morocco. I have just set sail from Spain to Tangier, resigned in Africa for the first time. My tour guide, Aziz, brought me to the restaurant where we were sitting down to a delicious lunch. I am aware of myself about the way that very awkward and very United States using a knife and fork me: Grip the knife in my right hand to cut, then scaled back and take a fork to eat. I was jealous of my European friends are friendly, that swift use fork and knife left hand right hand them, to eat like a pro. But here in Morocco, Aziz noticed me with very close when I was eating, a smile slowly spread across his face. Finally, he said, "I like the way you eat! So respect. "In the culture of Aziz, the left hand is considered dirty-typically used to clean yourself-while the right hand is used for eating. By moving my fork into my right hand, I-unknowingly-be a Muslim.

Traveling in Muslim world has changed me. And not just by opening my eyes on the beautiful faith-also with small ways. Thanks to Islam, I force myself to slow down a bit while getting coffee with friends. I'm more forgiving of small habits of terkasihku people. And I accidentally grabbed my fork with my right hand.

When you travel, you know where Your minus into a plus, and vice versa. You pick up new ideas and find that you are better suited to the larger world. With the blow of a pen, the President of Trump recently connected with Muslims is much more difficult. Let these stories into a gentle reminder that the world could be immeasurably rich place ... but only if we are open to it.